yard dilemma...please help!!! (sorry...long)

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jumpthemoon

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Hi everyone
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I've got a dilemma and I can't decide what to do for the best. I recently moved yards because we moved house (different area) but I'm not getting on as well as I thought I would. I don't know whether to stick it out for the summer, as a lot of the issues will go away then, or move and risk being somewhere else that's no good.
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Good points of current yard...
relaxed atmosphere
get on well with YO
Nice stables
Individual TO
Super horse walker
security is good
It's cheap

Bad points....
Yard lighting is very poor (i dont get there til about 5.30pm and can't see to groom properly, let alone anything else)
School has only 1 floodlight (1 corner is lit)
Poor lighting is causing horse to be nervous wreck
no lighting for bringing horses in from fields
There is no-one there at the times I want to ride
School is half covered in water most of the time
No services offered ie bring in or turn out

I don't know what to do because I'm hardly riding as my horse is a nervous wreck in the school because it's so poorly lit. I know it will be ok in the summer, but do I write off the next couple of months after I've put so much hard work into my riding last year, or should I look for somewhere else? I didn't realise how queit it was going to be - thee is never anyone there (Im the only livery)
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Sorry it's soooo long
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hmmm. Have you found anywhere else locally that looks good? Personally, I think you should look at moving - you've worked really hard with him and it would be a shame to go backwards. And I'd imagine if he's getting nervous and spooky in the school, it might knock your confidence with him a bit? No point putting all the time and money in if you're not getting much out of it...it's not value for money. Plus if you're going to start hacking out it would maybe be better to be on a busier yard where you might have people to hack out with at first?
 
There's no harm in looking. I left a really good livery yard I was 90% happy at because I came across an even better one. Its a good position to be in. Start looking around and if you find somewhere better move there.
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Hiya, thanks
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I'm not sure if I'm just being silly by wanting to move, but I haven't ridden after work since I've been there. Everytime I lunge him in that school in the dark he spooks at stuff and goes mental
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He's ok in the light, but it's going to be dark at nigth til about march, and even then, there is noone at the yard when I want to ride, so if anything happened I'd have noone to help
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There is another yard nearby that is a bit bigger - not sure what it's like though except they've got a nice school with jumps and lights. It's a bit more expensive tho....
 
Thanks KVS. There are loads of yards around where I live, I just feel as though I'm looking for something I'm not going to find
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Every time I mention it my OH rolls his eyes and says 'but youve only just moved...huff'

I'll have a look around - there should be loads of choice really.
 
I'd stick with it.... after all how many yards have lighting for bringing a horse in from the field.... Look on the bright side, it is getting lighter at night now, so it wont be long before you'll be able to get at least 30 mins schooling in the evening!
 
Trouble is as someone else said, if Jumpthemoon sticks with it, it could get really spooky and nerve will be lost.

I guess, how long will it take you to find another yard, then its light enough for schooling and bringing in?

Could you perhaps organise and ask them very nicely to pop another light at the other end of the arena?
 
Thanks Ovidius, it's not just that though - my horses are turned out in separate fields on their own because the gelding gets a bit too much for the mare. There are no other horses around so I have to BI / TO at the same time, which can be a bit scary in the pitch black, as it's quite a long way to the stables.

I've already been knocked over by my WB and quite badly injured my knee (I'm still struggling to drive 3 weeks on). I wouldn't mind if they were with other horses or if I could bring them in one at a time, or if someone could bring them in for me - but none of that is possible at this yard.
 
I don't think you're being silly. I can't imagine it's much fun if he's being daft everytime you try to lunge in the dark!

Go and have a look at a few places, and check out whether there's any on the Welland Valley Feeds website listings - it can't hurt to look and TBH I think you'd be better moving sooner rather than later so your hard work with him this year doesn't go to waste if you see what I mean. Ignore the OH rolling his eyes!! It might be more expensive to move somewhere else, but at least you'll be able to ride! And once you get T up and running, have you considered finding a sharer? Someone to join you out on hacks and give a little contribution...just a thought.
 
If i wanted lighting for bringing a horse in, I'd get a head torch. At least if there is no-one else around, there's no-one to laugh at you looking like a miner (except your horse). Is there power to the school, or somewhere to run an extension cord? You can get quite powerful worklights from Wickes for under £10, so a couple of those located around the school might banish some of the shadows.

I quite like being on my own in the school, as there are no distractions. My YO and DH know I am going up to school on my own, plus I have my mobile in my pocket, plus my share mare is quite sensible in the school, so its pretty safe, really.

However, if you are really keen on having a bit of company, and the school itself doesn't have a very good surface, perhaps you should consider looking for somewhere else. Think of it as an investment in the future - there's no point struggling on with sub-standard facilities.
 
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Trouble is as someone else said, if Jumpthemoon sticks with it, it could get really spooky and nerve will be lost.

I guess, how long will it take you to find another yard, then its light enough for schooling and bringing in?

Could you perhaps organise and ask them very nicely to pop another light at the other end of the arena?

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I could ask I suppose. Not sure they'd have time as YO husband works really long hours. The thing is, there are loads of yards here, all within about a 2 mile radius. I can think of 8 off the top of my head that are between my house and the current yard. So it kind of seems daft to stay when there is so much choice. I suppose summer is on the way - but there will still be the fact the nobody is there when I want to ride, which worries me
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I suppose summer is on the way - but there will still be the fact the nobody is there when I want to ride, which worries me
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It worries me too, as your friend. You could do with someone to hack out with at first really couldn't you? But then, as you know, I am a worrier. If I had transport I'd come down and hack out with you.
 
Thanks trundle. I think its a combination of the fact that there are no lights, the horses have to be turnded out in separate fields but brought in together, the fields are miles away from the yard, no-one is around and half the time I have no idea when they'll be back. The school would be ok if my horse wasn't such a fairy. He's been there nearly 4 weeks now and isnt improving with his spookiness - there are loads of noises coming from the other side of the hedge and the school is dark and half submerged in water. There are no jumps (we are supposed to be working towards BSJA) so that's a bit of a hitch, too. I think - looking at all the issues, I need to look for somewhere else. I know you can't have everything, but I'd like to be able to ride when I want
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I suppose summer is on the way - but there will still be the fact the nobody is there when I want to ride, which worries me
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It worries me too, as your friend. You could do with someone to hack out with at first really couldn't you? But then, as you know, I am a worrier. If I had transport I'd come down and hack out with you.

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Awww cheers bex
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I have someone to hack with, as YO is there at weekends. It's just when I'm schooling in the evening. The yard is miles from anywhere and there is nobody around until late evening. I think I'm going to check out a few yards this week. I need somewhere I can ride properly.

As for sharing Tango - I'm not sure she'd be up for that!
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I'll have to see how she goes - I have thought about it, but I'd need a very sensitive sharer!
 
for now, i'd get a head-lamp thingy (i got one off ebay, but the local fishing shop sells them) cos it makes things so much easier in the dark. i'd put controller halters on them both to bring them in together, and distract one with carrots in a bucket or sth as you catch/halter the other.
can you ask your YO to put another floodlight up? they're only about £20 each for the light iirc, just one more in a diff direction to the first one, would prob help a lot.
umm, are there many yards that would allow you 2 individual turnout fields? i know i never managed to get them when i was a livery, and i HATED turning my horses out with other shod ones, SO dangerous.
best of luck!
 
cheers kerilli. I'll try with a headlamp - I've had a go with a torch but couldn't get within 50 feet of my big daft horse! They aren't too bad to lead together, really. I use a chain for my WB anyway. The individual TO is good for the safety aspect, I suppose. I'll ask YO about the school lights. She can only say no!
 
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